This invention relates to a gripper assembly and more particularly relates to a gripping assembly for moving drilling rigs supported on offshore drilling platforms.
Offshore drilling platforms are used to drill a number of holes. That is, a single platform will be used to drill or sink numerous wells, sometimes as many as twenty or more from the same platform. Thus, each time a well is sunk, the drilling rig must be repositioned for drilling in a different area. The drilling rig is mounted on skid bases for sliding from position to position for drilling successive wells. Previously a cumbersome and timeconsuming mechanical block-and-tackle jacking system was used to move the drilling rig. It would be preferable if such movement could be automated to considerably reduce the time in moving the drilling rig from one position to another.